OUR MOUNTAIN MEADOWS 411 



ihe rapid flow from upper to lower park will thus lose the real reason for 

 levels. And when the spring melting its existence as a park, 

 is o\er and the surplus from the valley To anyone who traversed the park a 

 slopes has ceased to run, the meadow decade or more ago and returns to it 

 still retains within itself a mass of today, the change which is taking place 

 water which will slowly seep away to is perfectly apparent. Meadows which 

 the brooklet and keep running through ten years ago were clear and open to 

 the summer months of drought. Nor grazing, are today pme jungles devoid 

 does the meadow lose much to the air. '^^ ^^^^ ^^ the horses. Others which 

 ',, , . , ^ • 1 ^,v ..,,. liave not been blotted out completely 

 1 he thick grass prevents rap d air cur- ^^^^^ ^^^^^ considerably diminished Ex- 

 rents close to the ground, and the layer ^^ ^ ^^^^ ^^ ^^^^ meadows, 

 ot air saturated with moisture lies like j^j.^ ^j^^ Tuolumne Meadows, which will 

 a blanket over the meadow preventing j^^^^^^ maintain themselves, 1 should say 

 further evaporation. At night much of ^j^^^ ^j^^ meadow area of our National 

 this moisture is again precipitated as a |..^,-i^ i-^^g been reduced twenty-live per 

 drenching dew. In contrast to this, the ^ent during the last ten or fifteen years, 

 breezes are constantly moving through Within another decade the securing of 

 the trees, and they are always dry. feed and camping places along some of 

 They pick up from the leaves whatever tJ^e trails will become a serious proD- 

 moisture they will release. The more lem, unless steps are taken to check the 

 rapid and vigorous the growth of the advance of the forest. For example, a 

 trees, the more moisture will they carry favorite camping place along the Big 

 up for evaporation. It would be difh- Oak Flat Road, a few miles from the 

 cult to estimate the difference in the Valley, was Tammarak Flat. Fifteen 

 amount evaporated from a meadow, and years ago the lower end of the flat was 

 the amount lost from the same area a charming meadow through which ran 

 grown up to trees. I believe the excess a fine trout stream and about which on 

 of the latter is easily a hundred-fold higher ground stood a well-grown for- 

 greater than the former. The ideal con- est. Today there is scarcely a vestige 

 ditions, then, for equalizing stream flow of the meadow at the lower end, the 

 from mountain regions like the Sierra young trees crowding in so close that a 

 is to preserve the timber on the slopes pack horse can scarcely force his way 

 and the meadows in the valley bottoms, through. There is no grass, where be- 

 Not only are the mountain meadows fore was fine feed. This is one of many 

 necesssary for the proper conservation instances of a lovely camp ground of a 

 of the streams, but in the National few years ago absolutely effaced. All 

 I'ark where the fundamental purpose over the Park the same forces arc at 

 of the reserve is for play-ground use, work, nor is it surprising that the 

 the value of the meadow can scarcely change should thus suddenly appear, 

 be estimated. A man can go where his Presumably the lakes of about the same 

 horse can go, and where his horse can size left as the glaciers receded, have 

 find feed a man must camp. The fact silted up in approximately the same 

 that the Yosemite Park is dotted with period of lime. The resulting flats have 

 thousands of these verdant feed patches grown to meadows, and now a large 

 is one of the reasons why this park is percentage of them are ready to un- 

 the most ideal region in this country dergo the final transformation. Fur- 

 for the pack — and the saddle-horse type thermore, the early grazing of this 

 of camping. The climate is practically whole region by the sheeji, and the fires 

 rainless for the three summer months, kindled by their herders at the end of 

 The little meadows prevent its becom- each season burning off the dry grass 

 ing a desert. Kliminate the meadows and brush, destroyed each season's crop 

 nnd camping will cease absolutely. De- of seedlings. From the 'sixties, there- 

 crease the number and area of the fore, to the time when the Park was 

 meadows and camping will correspond- reserved from grazing, the forest ad- 

 inglv grow less easy and attractive. The \ ancc was artificially prevented. It has 



